First, From the various subjects upon whom it works : The hearts and consciences of men of all orders and qualities, have been reached and wounded to the quick by the two-edged sword of God's law. Some, among the great and honourable of the earth, (though indeed the fewest of that rank) have been made to stoop and tremble under the word, Acts xxiv. 16. Mark vi. 20. 1 Sam. xv. 24. The wise and learned of the world have felt its power, and been brought over to embrace the humbling and self-denying ways of Christ, Acts xvii. 34. Thus Origen, Hierom, Tertullian, Uradwardine, and many more, came into Canaan laden with the Egyptian gold, as one speaks, i. e. they came into the church of God abundantly enriched and furnished with the learned arts and sciences, devoting them all to the service of Christ. Yea, and which is as strange, the most simple, weal:, and illiterate have been wonderfully changed, and wrought upon by the power of the word : " The testimonies of the Lord make wise the simple :" Men
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of weak understandings, in all other matters, have been made wise to salvation by the power of the word, Matth. xi. 25. 1 Cor. i. 27. Nay the most malicious and obstinate enemies of Christ have been wounded and converted by the word, 1 Tim. i. 13. Acts xvi. 25. Those that have been under the prejudice of the worst and most idolatrous education, have been the subjects of its mighty power, Acts xix. 26. To conclude, men of the most profligate and debauched lives have been wonderfully changed and altered by the power of the word, 1 Cor. vi. 10, 11.
Secondly, The mighty efficacy of the law of God appears in the manner of its operation ; it works suddenly ; strikes like a dart through the hearts and consciences of men, Acts ii. 37. A won- derful change is made in a short time : And, as it works quickly and suddenly, so it works irresistibly, with an uncontrouled power upon the spirits of men, 1 Thes. i. 5. Rom. i. 16. Let the soul be armed against conviction with the thickest ignorance, strongest prejudice, or most obstinate resolution, the word of God will wound the breast even of such a man, when God sends it forth in his authority and power.
Thirdly, The wonderful power of the law or word of God is evidently seen in the strange effects which are produced by it in the hearts and lives of men. For,
First, It changes and alters the frame and temper of the mind : It moulds a man into a quite contrary temper, Gal. i. 23. " He " which persecuted us in times past, now tpreacheth the faith, " which once he destroyed :" Thus a tyger is transformed into a lamb, by the power of the word of God.
Secondly, It makes the soul, upon which it works, to forego and quit the dearest interests it hath in this world for Jesus Christ, Phil, iii. 7, 8, 9. Riches, honours, self-righteousness, dearest relations, are denied and forsaken. Reproach, poverty, and death itself, are willingly embraced for Christ's sake, when once the efficacy of the word hath been upon the hearts of men, 1 Thes. i. 6. Those that were their companions in sin, are declined, renounced, and cast off with abhorrence, 1 Pet. iv. 3, 4. In such things as these the mighty power of the word discovers itself.
Secondly, Next, let us see wherein the efficacy of the word upon the souls of men principally consisteth : and we find in scrip- ture it exerteth its power in five distinct acts upon the soul ; by all which it strikes at the life, and kills the very heart of vain hopes. For,
First, It hath an awakening efficacy upon secure and sleepy sin- ners : It rouses the conscience, and brings a man to a sense and feeling apprehension, Eph. v. 13, 14. The first effectual touch of the word startles the drowsy conscience. A poor sinner lies in his
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sins, as Peter did in his chains, fast asleep, though a warrant was signed for his execution the next day : but the Spirit in the word awakens him as the angel did Peter : And this awakening power of the word is in order, both of time and nature, antecedent to all its operations and effects.
Secondly, The law of God hath an enlightening efficacy upon the minds of men : It is eye-salve to the blinded eye, Rev. iii. 18. A light shining in a dark place, 2 Pet. i. 19. A light shining into the very heart of man, 2 Cor. iv. 6. When the word comes in power, all things appear with another face : The sins that were hid from our eyes, and the danger which was concealed by the policy of Satan from our souls, now lie clear and open before us, Eph. v. 8.
Thirdly, The word of God hath a convincing efficacy : It sets sin in order before the soul, Psal. 1. 21. As an army is drawn up in an exact order, so are the sins of nature and practice, the sins of youth and age, even a great and terrible army is drawn up before the eye of the conscience ; the convictions of the word are clear and full, 1 Cor. xiv. 24, 25. The very secrets of a sinner's heart are made manifest ; his mouth is stopped ; his pleas are silenced ; his conscience yields to the charge of guilt, and to the equity of the sentence of the law, so that the soul stands mute, and self- condemned at the bar of conscience : It hath got nothing to say- why the wrath of God should not come upon it to the uttermost, Rom. iii. 19.
Fourthly, The law of God hath a soul- wounding, an heart-cut- ting efficacy : It pierces into the very soul and spirit of man, Acts ii. 37. " When they heard this, they were pricked at their hearts, " and said unto Peter, and to the rest of the apostles ; men and " brethren, what shall we do ?" A dreadful sound is in the sin- ner's ears ; his soul, is in deep distress ; he knows not which way to turn for ease ; no plaister but the blood of Christ can heal these wounds which the word makes : No outward trouble, affliction, disgrace, or loss, ever touched the quick as the word of God doth.
Fifthly, The word hath a heart-turning, a soul converting ef- ficacy in it : It is a regenerating, as well as a convincing word, 1 Pet. i. 23. 1 Thes. i. 9. The law wounds, the gospel cures ; the law discovers the evil that is in sin, and the misery that follows it ; and the Spirit of God, working in fellowship with the word, effec- tually turns the heart from sin. And thus we see in what glorious acts the efficacy of the word discovers itself upon the hearts of men ; and all these acts lie in order to each other : For, until the soul be awakened, it cannot be enlightened, Eph. v. 14. Till it be enlightened, it cannot be convinced, Eph. v. 13. Conviction being nothing else but the application of the light that shines in
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the mind to the conscience of a sinner : Till it be convinced, it can- not be wounded for sin, Acts ii. 37. And until it be wounded for sin, it will never be converted from sin, and brought effectually to Jesus Christ. And thus you see what the power of the word is.